The Affordable Care Act creates a new office within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office, to coordinate care for individuals who are eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare ("dual eligibles" or Medicare-Medicaid enrollees). The office is charged with making the two programs work together more effectively to improve care and lower costs. The office is focused on improving quality and access to care for Medicare-Medicaid enrollees, simplifying processes, and eliminating regulatory conflicts and cost-shifting that occur between the Medicare and Medicaid programs, states, and the federal government.

Integrating Care for Medicare-Medicaid Enrollees: Aligning the care and financing between Medicare and Medicaid to support improvements in quality and cost of care for individuals enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare to eliminate duplication of services and expand access to needed care. Increasing access to Medicare data for states to coordinate care, improve quality, and control costs.